The SIGNAL Blog

U.S. forces may be on the verge of a new era of connectivity, information sharing and individual empowerment-if immediate needs are addressed, both programmatically and technologically. That was the message delivered by Linda Newton, deputy chief of staff for C4I, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Newton outlined two scenarios-near future and distant future-in which effective networking and new information technologies empower individuals regardless of location.

The people responsible for network centricity among their forces have a common item on their wish lists: a new network that addresses current shortcomings and accommodates new capabilities. Little details such as network management, language, security and seams are major impediments to maintaining network centricity, say J-6s from the Asia-Pacific region.

ManTech Systems Engineering Corporation is being awarded a $16.2 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract (N00421-08-D-0008) to exercise an option for the procurement of warfare analysis, modeling and simulation, software development and analytic program support for the Naval Air Systems Command's Warfare Analysis and Integration Department.

SRA International Incorporated has won a re-compete task order with the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) Life Safety Security Network (LSSN) to provide enterprise management and information technology systems and communications networks integration. The contract has an estimated value of $56 million over five years if all options are exercised. SRA will continue to integrate and expand PFPA's existing LSSN so PFPA can more effectively execute its mission and operate more economically. SRA also will provide processes that span the agency's project life cycle and fully integrate help desk, infrastructure, architecture, information assurance and management tasks.

CACI International Incorporated has been awarded a task order with a ceiling value of $29 million by the U.S. Marine Corps under the U.S. General Services Administration's CONNECTIONS contract vehicle. This new work involves initially providing wide area network infrastructure design, fabrication, installation and validation of five microwave relay towers for the Naval Surface Warfare Center's Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command.

Raytheon Company has been awarded a U.S. Army contract modification of $21 million to provide mission sustainment and support services for the Base Expeditionary Targeting and Surveillance System--Combined program.

DPSCon Incorporated has received a Small Business Innovation Research Phase I contract award from the U.S. Air Force. The award will support development of a modular, expandable, open-standards addition of processing capability for propulsion health management systems that will increase the speed and depth of processing capabilities over currently utilized Full Authority Digital Engine Control hardware and software.

Northrop Grumman Corporation's European subsidiary, Park Air Systems, has been awarded a contract by the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency for the provision of an integrated ground-air radio system providing VHF and UHF frequencies. The project involves the installation of three remotely controlled PAE T6 VHF and UHF multichannel radio systems for the air traffic control center at Warsaw and three remotely controlled PAE T6 VHF and UHF multichannel radio systems for the air traffic control center at Katowice.

The U.S. Coast Guard's fight against minor maritime law violations may be a precursor to terrorism activities, according to one of its district commanders. Rear Adm. Manson K. Brown, USCG, commander, 14th Coast Guard District, described how fishing violations in U.S. exclusive economic zones may be laying the groundwork for terrorist actions in the same manner that piracy and terrorism have become linked.

Pfc. John Beckett, assigned to Company B, 1st Special Troops Battalion, Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, surfs the Internet at an Internet cafe that opened in September at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation facility on Forward Operating Base Falcon, Iraq. Beckett, a multichannel transmission systems operator from Buffalo, New York, says the new Internet cafe is a convenience for him because he does not own a personal computer.

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The U.S. Army is procuring Motorola’s WAVE software technology to fill a need for a unified application that links two-way radios, smartphones, telephones and personal computers together for seamless communications. The $14.1 million contract provides the Army with unlimited access to the capability. WAVE will act as the glue to patch together devices normally incapable of communicating with one another.